San Diego County, California
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Birdrock, San Diego County, California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 4–5ft, 15s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on WSW swell at 11s and light winds out of the SSE. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 4–5ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 5-6ft and poor - fair conditions with moderate SSE wind around 10mph.
Mon, May 18: 5–6ft, 13s period, rated Poor - Fair. Aim for the middle of the day — 5-6ft on W swell at 8s with 7mph from the S. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on W swell at 7s and glassy conditions. The WSW wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor - fair by then.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 14s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on S swell at 13s with light NW winds. The W wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and poor - fair by then.
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Birdrock is a collection of reef breaks between Pacific Beach and Windansea in La Jolla that only start working at overhead-plus size, requiring a significant paddle to reach. South Bird Rock and North Bird Rock are the main breaks. North Bird can hold shape on the very largest swells — the bigger it gets, the further out it breaks. The kelp bed outside provides natural wind protection.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Birdrock is 4-5ft with a 15.2s swell period. Wind is SSE at 3mph and conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Birdrock is 4-5ft, produced by a 1.7ft SSW primary swell at 13s, a 1.6ft W secondary swell at 10s, a 0.7ft SSW tertiary swell at 16s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Birdrock is Saturday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 15.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Birdrock works best with a SW swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Birdrock. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Birdrock is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Birdrock is a collection of reef breaks between Pacific Beach and Windansea in La Jolla that only start working at overhead-plus size, requiring a significant paddle to reach. South Bird Rock and North Bird Rock are the main breaks. North Bird can hold shape on the very largest swells — the bigger it gets, the further out it breaks. The kelp bed outside provides natural wind protection.
The prime season at Birdrock is winter, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Birdrock include flat rock reef with urchins, long paddle out, needs overhead+ swell, some localism. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Birdrock forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
